Echoes From the Campfire

They only prayed!  I heard that comment over and over.  The unbeliever, the person of the world has no concept of the sovereignty of God, no concept of biblical faith, no concept of the heavenly Father.  All they can do in a horrible situation is mock and scorn.  However, to the believer, Death Hath No Terrors.  Not that it is immediately welcomed, but the fear is gone.  The true believer will be able to say, “O Death, where is thy sting?”. (1 Corinthians 15:55)  In reality it is death that is mocked.

          “Death has no terrors for the blood-bought one,
           O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!
           The boasted vict’ry of the grave is gone,
           O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!”
                    –C.P. Jones

The believer has already experienced death for he has died to the world.  The world, its pain, sorrow, and woe does not hold the Christian under its sway.  Instead of fear there is the power of the Holy Spirit.  If the believer is on their deathbed, the soul is still vibrant and alive.

          “Our souls die daily to the world and sin, 
           O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!
           By the Spirit’s power as He dwells within,
           O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!”

We are pilgrims on this earth, wandering toward that glorious, heavenly city.  This world does not hold us, for we will dwell in a mansion that Jesus has prepared for us.  While we travel there may be toil and trouble, but the joys that are waiting for us on that heavenly shore will never cease.

          “We seek a city far beyond this vale,
           O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!
           Where joys celestial never, never fail,
           O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!”

Onward we go no matter what the foe brings against us.  Temptations shall be no more.  Storms rage now, but they will cease.  People may gloat over us, but soon they will be passed by.  The heart may ache, but that is only temporary.  Those that mock cannot understand the hope and peace that the believer has when faced with eternity.  Perhaps that is why they scorn so; they do not have that hope.

          “We’ll the press forward to the heav’nly land,
           O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!
           Nor mind the troubles met on ev’ry hand,
           O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!”

Two and a half years ago I lay on a gurney ready for a procedure to take care of a blocked artery in my heart.  I stared at the ceiling, but I was not anxious or fretful.  There was peace; if death came it had no terror for me.  There was nothing I could do about it anyway.  So I just put my trust in the Lord; He was in control anyway.

          “We’ll rise some day just as our Savior rose,
           O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!
           Till then shall death be but a calm repose,
           O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!

                    Jesus rose from the dead,
                    Rose triumphant as He said,
                    Snatched the vict’ry from the grave,
                    Rose again our souls to save–
                    O glory hallelujah to the Lamb!”